Saturday, December 25, 2010

North-end factory #36. Demolition has also started on the north-end of #38 warehouse but I missed the photo. I was on my way to spend Christmas day with my kids, and thought I would stop by the old workplace for a visit.

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Erwin Seneca Smith 1916-1987 shown in uniform above and also below, in the group photo of his graduating class in Flint, Michigan.

Terey Smith Shelor sent these photos which show her father's graduating class in Flint, Michigan on March 6, 1943. This photo was taken at the main entrance of the I.M.A auditorium. The school located in factory #17 on Hamilton Avenue and Saint John Street (now known as James P. Cole blvd.) had different titles. Popular Mechanics called it "Buick College Of War". The Air Force called it "Engine Specialist School At Pratt & Whitney Engine Division Of Buick Motors". Whatever the name, after about 2700 mechanics graduated, the school was disbanded. There were fifty students admitted each week for the eleven week course. Graduation ceremonies would take place on Saturday morning. According to the book "The City Of Flint Grows Up" these were "colorful" ceremonies. Terey said her father was stationed in England and his nick name was "Smitty".

October 24, 1906 article of Buick's intention to build factory #08 garage. Judging by the time needed back then for building construction I would guess that #08 was open for business in late 1907 or early 1908.

Article about the beginning of the D.U.R. at the Buick plant.

September 2, 1920 Motor Age announcement.

This south view shows the area of the building being attached to W.F.Stewart #4 body plant. That is the Stewart factory #3 directly south of #08. This is another of those misidentified photos from the Buick Research Gallery. Dated August 17, 1920.

This south-east view taken from the Buick main office shows the third story addition being added in 1920. This is misidentified as the main office.

This west facing view up Hamilton Avenue from St. John Street (James P. Cole Blvd. now) shows the relationship of factory #08 with the other factories located along Hamilton ave.

Factory #08 is looking quite good now. That is the D.U.R. (Detroit United Railway) terminal for the Inter Urban cars of that period in the foreground.

This west facing view shows a lot of construction work is just finishing up. Dated September 22, 1920.

The announcement for the start of "The Buick Bulletin" in the Horseless age.

Here we have a 1912 Buick sitting in front of factory #08 along Hamilton Avenue. This view is facing north-east with the original Buick main office at the left. The old Imperial Wheel Co. is in the right background. This particular car is stripped for racing. I wish I knew who was sitting behind the wheel?

This street level view (facing south-east) shows factory #08 (or as it was always called) "The Buick Garage". At the time of this photo the two story structure included a showroom and was also the location for the publication of the Buick Bulletin magazine (see article above). After 1920 and the attachment of the third floor with factory #04 body shop, it was now a true manufacturing facility. During World War II some assembly of tank transmissions took place here. When I was a kid in the fifty's we used to park behind this factory and wait for my father getting out of work. The two photos below show construction.

This is the first floor of factory #08 after the cement work that is seen being performed below.

"The Buick Garage" getting ready for cement. In this east facing view we can see the "Flint Axle" factory. The unique smoke stacks of the "Flint Varnish Works" are off to the right. At the far left, across Hamilton Ave., can be seen the "Imperial Wheel Works". Links:Oak Park IndustriesImperial Wheel Company Had Many Faces

War

My Car

I had this pedal car in the '50s

Help!!!

You can super enlarge just about any photo on this blog for viewing small details. The way this is done is a little different depending on which browser is used. Many photos and stories can be clicked on for original links.

pin

My Profile

The original purpose of this Blog was as a quick retrieval point for my research data. "It grew out of control rather quickly". I do not hold claim to everything here. As with all history I build and hopefully expand on other peoples efforts. I spend many hours trying to ensure the accuracy of this history which is always evolving. I have worked at many different G.M. plants in my 30 years with the company. I've spent time at the old Chevy V8 plant in Flint, Michigan in 1970 going to night school in the dynamometer room, then onto Buick in 1972, followed by 9 months at the Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan, known as Chevy In The Hole. I was called back to Buick after the economy picked up in 1974. In 1997 I went north 50 miles to Bay City Powertrain, which was another old Chevrolet plant. Like most GM. employees I worked some special assignments at other plants in north America. I welcome feedback on anything I post, pertaining to the General Motors Factories. I especially like corrections or new information.